Here at 7 News Detroit, we want to make sure you start your day off on the right foot, informed about weather, traffic, the latest news and more. That's why we have the 7 Morning Digest, where we'll get you out the door informed and ready to go.
What's the weather for today?
A Wind Advisory is in effect for all of Southeast Michigan starting at 10 a.m. and lasting through 8 p.m. Monday. Winds will be out of the west at 20-30 mph with gusts near 45 mph, so be prepared if you're outside.
The sun will be visible again this morning after a sunny weekend. Clouds will increase with snow showers in the evening.
Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy skies with snow showers, especially north of I-96.
Any traffic issues?
So far, no major traffic issues to know about this morning. Be sure to check our live traffic map before heading out.
The top stories to know about
Vigil held for Ashley Elkins in Roseville
Many people came out on Saturday night to honor Ashley Elkins, the Warren woman who went missing earlier this month.
“Right now with everybody here, it shows everybody cares when I thought nobody cared at all, I see everybody cares now,” said Monika Elkins, Ashley Elkins’ mother.
Monika was surrounded by hundreds of people as they gathered to celebrate the life of her daughter.
“She was just a good person, everybody goes through things in life you know but she was still a good person,” said Monika.
Ashley’s vigil was held near the Hampton Court Apartments in Roseville.
Those apartments are where her ex-boyfriend DeAndre Booker lived.
Police suspect he may have had something to do with her disappearance and he has since been arrested for lying to a police officer.
It's back! Atwater Brewery founder bringing Velvet Peanut Butter home to Detroit
Everyone loves a little taste of their childhood. For many Detroiters, that taste of nostalgia comes from a fresh jar of Velvet Peanut Butter.
The company had humble beginnings, starting as a production out of Paul Zuckerman's garage off 12th Street in 1937.
"He was kind of obsessed with the idea that most of the peanut butter in the market wasn't very good, so he was pretty sure he could make a better kind of peanut butter," said Jon Milan, historian and author.
Paul was a good salesman and grew his little peanut butter into a national production. During World War II, he solidified his rapport with the public by supplying U.S. troops with peanut butter.
"He supplied peanut butter to the troops. It was a cheap and delicious source of protein, and that was a big deal during World War II selling peanut butter to you," said historian and author, Gail Offen.
Mark Rieth, the founder of Atwater Brewery, purchased the peanut butter company on January 2 of this year. He told me he felt a connection with the original owner, Paul Zuckerman, due to their entrepreneurial spirits.
"I started home brewing in my garage. You know, Paul Zuckerman did the same thing, started making peanut butter in his garage," said Rieth.
Lafayette Coney Island voluntarily closes to address 'rat infestation issue'
The Detroit Health Department on Friday said that Lafayette Coney Island in downtown has closed once again to address a rat problem.
The health department posted on Facebook that it has been working with the popular coney spot to address a rat infestation.
Signs outside the restaurant on Friday said they're closed for remodeling. The owners say they hope to reopen in seven to 10 days after intense cleaning and changes inside.
Lafayette Coney Island owners let 7 News Detroit inside to see firsthand as efforts are underway to ensure a safe and clean space for staff and customers. They said they voluntarily closed on a temporary basis after the health department visited for a report of raised concerns.
“The customer left a message and they essentially stated that they saw rats running through the restaurant. And this is exactly what we experienced about two years ago,” said Denise Fair Razo, the director of the Detroit Health Department.
In September 2022, the coney spot had to close temporarily after an inspector reportedly found rat droppings inside Lafayette after videos circulated on social media showing rats inside. Lafayette closed for more than a month before reopening in the middle of October 2022.
